Alliance Vendor

Great story, I remember seeing this car in the new "rodders journal" "hot rods and custom cars" book! I presume this is the same Gerry Huth that originally owned this '40 Merc that most of us here on the HAMB knows:

Member

I had seen the car before in the Dan Post Blue book, in some of the advertisements for the Fiberglass company and recently in the "Hot Rods and Custom Cars" book published by The Rodder's Journal.

Although the lines on this car dont all seem to work together as they probably should have I have always been intrigued by this very early attempt of custom Sports Car. If only the custom windshield would have been laid back a bit more this car would have looked a whole lot better. But still this is 1946 That the car was first started and nothing about customizing had been published back then. So Gerry must have been all on his own building and designing this car. Quite an effort.

Here are a few more photos of the car...
I especially love the first photo with the low angle, and great looking white wall tires....(check out the pattern on the black side wall detail)

I know these Sports Custom Cars are not for everybody... but I like them, and I think they have been an important part of the early custom car history.

Member

The thing about custom cars....not everyone is going to like what the builder envisions. Some customs I like, others I don't, but I love history. I don't personally think this car is goofy really, but there is no denying the historical significance.

What we have here is a really early example of the application of major custom body changes. Concepts that were later employed by others, in varying degrees. But to be of the first to do something...this is the story. When you have nothing to go off of, you are breaking new ground and laying the foundation for those to follow. We owe everything to the pioneers. Is the first hot rod the coolest looking? the fastest? Maybe not, but I'd like to own it.
Tim
MBL